Former ‘Price Is Right’ Model Reveals the ‘Truth’ About Working With Bob Barker - Page 2 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 04-04-2026, 08:39 PM

Scorning the Scandal Peddlers

Quote:

Most if not all the documentary’s “revelations” had already leaked out years ago – backstage affairs, racism allegations, lawsuits and more lawsuits, with Barker at the center of the turmoil and no longer around to defend himself.

Here is my question: Is it wrong that I really don’t care?

I know that sounds harsh, but I’m being honest. I’m not without sympathy if someone is mistreated at work, but if decades have passed since the supposed transgressions, dredging them up now in documentaries seems more about vengeance than justice, or maybe it’s just about the paycheck.

Uncovering dirt after someone dies is a popular sport these days. And my response after being exposed to such scandals is always the same: Now that I know, what am I supposed to do?

I can’t erase the happy memories. I don’t want to. As I’ve entered my 60s my memories have only grown more precious. I walk through a house full of memories every day. A home that is now empty except for me. The connection I’ve forged with the shows I write about dates back more than half a century. The memories experienced when I watch them again are as fond now as they’ve ever been.

As I wrote in a previous blog, it was the longevity of The Price is Right and this cast that, as it did with soap operas, made the show so special. Janice was pointing at “brand new cars!” when I was 8 years old. She was still doing it when I graduated high school. And she was still doing it when I graduated college, and for more than 10 years after that.

Am I supposed to hate Bob Barker now? How about Michael Landon, Danny Bonaduce, Robert Blake, Roseanne, Darlene Gillespie, James Farentino, Dana Plato…shall I keep going? With some celebrities their sins are paragraph one in any story about them; for others it barely merits a mention. Should I only disown those who acted out of cruelty, and not mental illness or desperation? How would I know which is which?
We’ve had this conversation once before, of course, back in 2015 when I wrote about Bill Cosby. Despite all the accolades that made him one of television’s most influential creators, the legacy of his work has been permanently tarnished. “Good,” some will say. “What a shame,” others lament.

These are issues beyond television, and everyone must decide for themselves where to draw the line. But I think we can all agree that condemnation and banishment come much faster than they used to and cast a much wider net.

Revelations about union activist Cesar Chavez emerged at about the same time as those about Bob Barker – also for things that happened half a century ago. Within days if not minutes, events were canceled and workmen set about removing his name from public spaces. Statues of Christopher Columbus have been toppled. San Francisco tried removing the names of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson from schools because they owned slaves. And Tiger Woods got another DUI last week.

None of us are the sum of all our virtues or the sum of all our sins, no matter how exceptional the virtue or how despicable the sin. But on the great scandal scale, those attached to The Price is Right seem positively benign. Some border on ridiculous. According to one article, “After some models expressed concern about their treatment on the set of The Price Is Right, CBS initiated a 10-second rule where people couldn’t stare at models for longer than 10 seconds.”

Wait – men like to look at beautiful models? Shocking!

We also need to keep in mind that the longer ago the alleged behavior, the fewer people still around to validate the allegations. Luckily, Price is Right producer Roger Dobkowitz is still around. He was there for 36 years, and this was his response to the documentary:

Quote:

“This so-called “expose” makes me realize that there are some people in this world who will happily exaggerate and create falsehoods in order to justify a personal hateful vendetta against a person in order to draw attention to themselves. Making the situation worse is the fact that the accused is deceased, and therefore, making it impossible for the accused to defend himself. The adjective “brave” should never be used in reference to a person attacking a dead person.

The show was a happy place…our working environment was the envy of other shows. Staff rarely quit...the dozens of women who were in our repertoire of models came back year after year, happy to be on our show. The only unhappy people, as would be found in any company, were the ones that didn't get the raise they wanted, the ones that didn't get the promotion they thought they deserved, and the ones that were terminated for not doing their job.”

I hope he’s right. But regardless I’ve about had my fill of the scandal factories “tearing the lid” off beloved programs and personalities and inviting all of us to share in their disdain. Instead, I’ll follow the guidance found in the Gospel of Luke - “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

“But what fun is that?” say the bottom feeders at E! behind the Price is Right doc and other explorations of the dark side of television.

Perhaps someday someone will take a closer look at what goes on behind the scenes at E!. Wouldn’t that be something.

TMC · 04-08-2026, 09:53 PM

The Price is Right models’ battle against Bob Barker is getting the movie treatment

The story of The Price is Right models and their fight to stand up to Bob Barker, the show's famous host, is getting the screen treatment.

staytuned · 04-09-2026, 04:10 PM

I'm assuming the screen version will get a release in 2027. Also, I wonder if this will shutdown The Barker Era channel and Buzzr will no longer air the Barker episodes on its own channel for good.

Speaking of The Barker Era, if the channel gets shut down due to the allegations, I bet we will probably never get to the 1989-1990 season, the 1990-1991 season or any other future seasons at all.

In other words, think of it as a "separate the art from the artist" kind of thing.

Mario500 · 04-09-2026, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMC

The Price is Right models’ battle against Bob Barker is getting the movie treatment

The story of The Price is Right models and their fight to stand up to Bob Barker, the show's famous host, is getting the screen treatment.

(suggestion: hope such a movie is never made (or avoid such a movie if it were to exist))

Dude111 · 04-10-2026, 01:06 AM

Its sad seeing them say this about Bobby..... Yes he was very loving towards people....... Why make him out to be bad??

He was MUCH BETTER than Drew Carey who is an idiot in comparison!

staytuned · 04-10-2026, 02:37 PM

I still think Cosby, Kelly and Diddy did a lot much worser to women that Barker could've ever dream or imagine doing to his girls.

Also, if the film doesn't get a theatrical release, maybe it can be streamed on Netflix or Hulu.

biffbronson · 04-11-2026, 05:33 PM

For a long time, the thing I couldn't quite comprehend was given the fact that there were women all over the U.S. and beyond who would've loved to date Bob Barker, and he had endless attractive ladies to choose from as a widower, why he couldn't keep a level of control over himself and not get involved with workplace romance. HOWEVER, having seen Holly Hallstrom in an extremely skimpy outfit, I now have a better handle on the "why." Even though Holly wasn't the focus of his amorous attention, I've come to a conclusion that there was a "next level" of attractiveness of these ladies.

I'm not trying to give Bob a pass, but I was wowed to the extreme when I got my first close look at Holly and realized how special those models were.

staytuned · 04-12-2026, 01:18 PM

Listen, I don't think Barker ever drugged or molested the models, or sexually-humiliated them as his very own will whenever he wanted, or tripped them on the stairs or get caught on a security camera by beating the living daylights out of them. Or let alone ask one of them to meet him in his dressing room doing a lap dance or striptease in order to, well let's just say, "please the Plinko stick in his pants".

Also, wasn't Dorothy Jo always acted as the love of his life. I'm pretty sure that he can be with her in heaven now and forevermore.

04-09-2026, 04:10 PM	#18
staytuned Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 22, 2025 Location: Some Where You are Posts: 277	I'm assuming the screen version will get a release in 2027. Also, I wonder if this will shutdown The Barker Era channel and Buzzr will no longer air the Barker episodes on its own channel for good. Speaking of The Barker Era, if the channel gets shut down due to the allegations, I bet we will probably never get to the 1989-1990 season, the 1990-1991 season or any other future seasons at all. In other words, think of it as a "separate the art from the artist" kind of thing.
	Last edited by staytuned; 04-12-2026 at 12:50 PM.

04-10-2026, 02:37 PM	#21
staytuned Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 22, 2025 Location: Some Where You are Posts: 277	I still think Cosby, Kelly and Diddy did a lot much worser to women that Barker could've ever dream or imagine doing to his girls. Also, if the film doesn't get a theatrical release, maybe it can be streamed on Netflix or Hulu.
	Last edited by staytuned; 04-12-2026 at 12:54 PM.

04-12-2026, 01:18 PM	#23
staytuned Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 22, 2025 Location: Some Where You are Posts: 277	, well ju Listen, I don't think Barker ever drugged or molested the models, or sexually-humiliated them as his very own will whenever he wanted, or tripped them on the stairs or get caught on a security camera by beating the living daylights out of them. Or let alone ask one of them to meet him in his dressing room doing a lap dance or striptease in order to, well let's just say, "please the Plinko stick in his pants". Also, wasn't Dorothy Jo always acted as the love of his life. I'm pretty sure that he can be with her in heaven now and forevermore.

04-08-2026, 09:53 PM	#17
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 126,800	The Price is Right models’ battle against Bob Barker is getting the movie treatment The story of The Price is Right models and their fight to stand up to Bob Barker, the show's famous host, is getting the screen treatment.

04-10-2026, 01:06 AM	#20
Dude111 Forum Legend Join Date: Nov 05, 2013 Posts: 36,649	Its sad seeing them say this about Bobby..... Yes he was very loving towards people....... Why make him out to be bad?? He was MUCH BETTER than Drew Carey who is an idiot in comparison!

04-11-2026, 05:33 PM	#22
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,519	For a long time, the thing I couldn't quite comprehend was given the fact that there were women all over the U.S. and beyond who would've loved to date Bob Barker, and he had endless attractive ladies to choose from as a widower, why he couldn't keep a level of control over himself and not get involved with workplace romance. HOWEVER, having seen Holly Hallstrom in an extremely skimpy outfit, I now have a better handle on the "why." Even though Holly wasn't the focus of his amorous attention, I've come to a conclusion that there was a "next level" of attractiveness of these ladies. I'm not trying to give Bob a pass, but I was wowed to the extreme when I got my first close look at Holly and realized how special those models were.